Board game and method of play

ABSTRACT

A board game having multiple sets of pieces, each set of pieces belonging to one player in the game, wherein at lest one set of pieces or their starting rules are not substantially similar to one other set of pieces or their starting rules.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to the gaming art and, in particular, to a novel board game and method of play.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional board games often have identical or substantially similar set of pieces for each player, often require all players to show the identities of their pieces or all players to conceal the identities of their pieces at the start of the game, and often have predetermined starting positions for the pieces of all players or do not have predetermined starting positions for the pieces of any player. In other words, conventional board games go great length to ensure that the different players are the “same”. Any significant differences between them are expressively avoided.

Starting positions are predetermined when pieces of one player having the same value will have to be placed in predetermined positions at the start of the game. They can not be placed in positions pre-assigned to pieces of a different value. For example in chess, even though pawns can switch positions among themselves, they can not be placed in positions pre-assigned to knights at the start of the game. Starting positions are not predetermined for a player when its pieces do not have to be placed in certain positions according to their values at the start of the game.

Players of a game can be either human or machine. Machine can be hardware, software, or their combination.

The current invention is about a novel board game that is significantly different from conventional board games as described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a top view of the game board of a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEARWING AND POSSIBLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Possible embodiments of the invention are discussed in this section. As shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment, the game board may have a number of lines (1) crossing or joining each other. The point where two or more lines (1) join is called a position (6). Pieces of each player may be placed on these positions and move between two positions at a time. If a piece is captured or otherwise considered killed, it shall be removed from these positions.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the board game has two players and each player has one set of pieces. The two sets of pieces belonging to the two players are not substantially similar.

For example, one set of pieces can have six solders, two fighter jets and two missals, the other set of pieces can have one boss, seven or more guards and two converters. Only pieces from different players can attack each other. Subject to that rule, solders, guards and the boss have equal value, they can capture each other.

Missal can not capture any pieces unless it reaches a predetermined position, for example a launching position (3). Once it reaches the launching position, it can attack any enemy pieces on the game board on its next move. Once a missal attacks a piece, the missal itself will be taken out of the board together with the attacked piece. Guards can attack missal anytime as long as it is its turn to move and a missal is in a position next to it. However, attacking a missal is considered a suicide mission therefore both the missal and the attacking guard shall be taken out of the game board. The boss and the converter may not attack the missal.

Fighter jets can move either one or two or three steps at a time, provided that it moves in a straight line and there is no other piece in between. Fighter jets can capture any pieces except converters. No piece except converters can capture fighter jets. When a fighter jet tries to capture a converter or when a converter captures a fighter jet, the fighter jet is converted into a fighter jet of the converter's side and the converter is taken out of the game board. Converters may not capture any other pieces except for fighter jets. There may be a set of positions on the board called jumping positions (2). Once a guard, a converter or the boss moves into a jumping position, on the next move, it can either move to a position right next to that jumping position, or move into any other jumping position on the board. Jumping positions are just ordinary positions for solders, fighter jets and missals.

The player with fighter jets, solders and missals may win by capturing the boss. The player with guards, converters and the boss may win by moving any one of its pieces into a predetermined position on the board, called the winning position (4).

According to one embodiment of the invention, one player, such as the player with guards, converters and a boss, conceals the identities of its pieces at the beginning of the game, or may be throughout the game unless one of its pieces are captured. Another player, such as the player with fighter jets, missals and solders shows the identities of its pieces. When a piece with a concealed identity is captured, it is moved out of the board and its identity is shown to the other player(s). When a fighter jet tries to capture a converter, the converter is taken out of the board, its identity is shown, and the fighter jet is converted into a fighter jet of converter's side.

According to another possible embodiment of the invention, the board game may have one dice and two tokens. One token can represent fifty million dollar cash, another token can represent a super bomb. At any point of the game, the player whose pieces' identities are shown may present the token representing cash and throw the dice. The player whose pieces' identities are concealed will also throw the dice. If the first player has a larger number on the dice, then the second player will show a certain piece such as the piece representing the boss. If the second player has a larger number on the dice, then it will receive the super bomb. Once the second player receives the super bomb, it may win by moving any of its pieces to a starting position of the first player. A starting position (5) is a position where a player places one of its pieces at the start of the game. A winning position (4) may be a starting position (5).

According to one possible embodiment of the invention, at the start of the game, one player may place its pieces in any order it wishes either without any restrictions or within a generally predetermined area, while one other player has to place its pieces according to a predetermined order. Predetermined order meaning pieces with a certain value will have to be placed in a predetermined area. They may not be placed on positions pre-assigned to pieces of a different value.

It is obvious that there are many different variations and combinations of the above described embodiments of the novel board game. All these different variations, combinations and their equivalences are foreseen and considered as part of the invention. The players in this game can be either human or machine, and there can be two or more players in the game. 

1. A board game comprising at least two sets of pieces wherein at least one set of pieces having at least two pieces that are different in value or function from each other, and these at least two pieces are both different in value or function from any of the pieces from at least one other set of pieces.
 2. The board game of claim 1 further comprising a board having a set of jumping positions wherein at least one predetermined piece can jump directly among the set of jumping positions.
 3. (canceled)
 4. The board game of claim 1 wherein the at least two sets of pieces are configured so that at the start of the game, at least one piece from one set of the pieces does not show its identity to the other players, and at least one piece from the other set of the pieces shows its identity to the other players.
 5. The board game of claim 1 further comprising a board having at least two sets of starting positions which are configured so that at the start of the game, at least one set of starting positions allows two pieces of different value or function from one of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position and at least the other set of starting positions does not allow two pieces of different value or function from another set of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position.
 6. The board game of claim 1 further comprising a board having at least one launching position wherein at least one predetermined piece can move from the launching position directly to any other positions on the board.
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled)
 9. A board game comprising at lest two sets of pieces wherein the at least two sets of pieces are configured so that at the start of the game, at least one piece from one set of the pieces does not show its identity to the other players, and at least one piece from the other set of pieces shows its identity to the other players.
 10. The board game of claim 9 further comprising a board having at least two sets of starting positions which are configured so that at the start of the game, at least one set of starting positions allows two pieces of different value or function from one of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position, and at least one other set of starting positions does not allow two pieces of different value or function from another set of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position.
 11. The board game of claim 9 further comprising a board having a set of jumping positions wherein at lest one predetermined piece can jump directly among the set of jumping positions.
 12. The board game of claim 9 further comprising at least one predetermined piece which can convert a piece of an opponent into a piece that opposes such opponent.
 13. The board game of claim 9 further comprising a board having at least one launching position wherein at least one predetermined piece can move from the launching position directly to any other positions on the board.
 14. A board game comprising (a) at least two sets of pieces, each set of pieces having at least two pieces that are different in value or function from each other; and (b) a board having at least two sets of starting positions, wherein the two sets of starting positions are configured so that at the start of the game, at least one set of starting positions allows two pieces of different value or function from one of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position, and at least the other set of starting positions does not allow two pieces of different value or function from another of the at least two sets of pieces to be placed at each other's starting position.
 15. The board game of claim 14 wherein the board further comprising at least one launching position wherein at least one predetermined piece can move from the launching position directly to any other positions on the board.
 16. The board game of claim 14 wherein the board further comprising a set of jumping positions wherein at lest one predetermined piece can jump directly among the set of jumping positions.
 17. A method of playing a board game having at least two sets of pieces for at least two players comprising a step wherein at least one player can use at least one predetermined piece from one of the two sets of pieces to convert a piece of an opponent into a piece that opposes such opponent.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step wherein at the start of the game at least one player places at least two pieces of different function or value from its set of pieces in predetermined starting positions and at least one other player places at least two pieces of different function or value from its set of pieces in starting positions that are not predetermined.
 19. (canceled)
 20. (canceled)
 21. The board game of claim 1 wherein at least one set of pieces having more than half of its pieces that are different in value or function from any of the pieces from at least one other set of pieces, and each of these at least two sets of pieces having at least two pieces that are different in value or function from each other.
 22. The board game of claim 6 wherein at least one of the board or the set of pieces is presented in electronic form.
 23. The board game of claim 1 further comprising at least one predetermined piece which can convert a piece of an opponent into a piece that opposes such opponent.
 24. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step wherein at the start of the game at least one player exposes the identity of at least one of its pieces and at least one other player conceals the identity of at least one of its pieces. so that the other player(s) does not know the value or function of the concealed piece at the start of the game.
 25. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step wherein at least one player can move at least one of its pieces to a launching position from where this piece can move directly to any other positions at the next step. 